The Big 3

Time

It is essential to your puppy’s learning to keep the lines of communication flowing if you want a dog that has an open mind and is able to understand what you are asking of him.

You have 1.3 seconds to reward or correct the puppy, this is the time frame at which they will understand what they are being rewarded for or why they are being corrected.  Timing is the first key in training your puppy. 

An example would be you walk outside to get the paper and you come back in the house to see your puppy has soiled on the carpet at this time because more than 1.3 seconds passed between the time you went to get the paper and the time you came back in you cannot give a correction because the puppy will not make the connection. 

Consistency

It is important to remain consistent throughout training so the puppy truly understands the commands being taught to him.  If you are not consistent or allow the puppy to “get away” with certain things while still young he will still do those same things as an adult and they might not be so cute or funny. 

Always be consistent weather house training the puppy or training the puppy to perform basic obedience commands this will prevent any unwanted behavior in the future if you put in the Time and are Consistent with your training while the puppy is most receptive.

Motivation

It is important to know what motivates your puppy and use that during training.  You may find your puppy loves a certain treat or toy.  Make sure to keep the training sessions fun for your puppy and keep his attention.  Keeping your training sessions short and positive you will be able to keep the puppy motivated to do what you are asking of him.  He will start to work harder for the treat or toy and training will begin to pick up and you will be able to start introducing new behaviors.

Always end all training sessions on a positive note.